The world’s favorite animated band, Gorillaz, have released its highly anticipated new project, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez. Arriving with a deluxe edition containing 17 songs, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez features different artists on each track, including Elton John, Robert Smith, Beck, St. Vincent, Skepta and the late Tony Allen, Leee John, and many more.
Back in January, far before the full scope of the COVID-19 pandemic would cause mass lockdowns across the world, Gorillaz launched the Song Machine project with a new song, “Momentary Bliss“, featuring slowthai and Slaves.
Over the following eight months the band released a collection of seven Song Machine collaborations that spanned the sonic spectrum, before announcing the compilation album that dropped this week. In addition to the seven previously released tracks, “The Pink Phantom”, “Strange Timez”, “PAC-MAN“, “Friday 13th”, “How Far?”, “Désolé” and “Momentary Bliss”, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez arrived with ten previously-unheard collaborations.
Beck joined in on the album’s second track, “The Valley of The Pagans”, before Leee John‘s feature on “The Lost Chord”. St. Vincent’s vocals took center stage on “Chalk Tablet Towers”, while Moonchild Sanelly provided some dark vocals on “With Love To An Ex”. Other new collaborations include Kano and Roxani Arias on “Dead Butterflies”, EARTHGANG on “Opium”, Joan As Police Woman on “Simplicity”, Goldlink and Unknown Mortal Orchestra on “Severed Head”, and JPEGMAFIA and CHAI on “MLS”.
Listen to the entire album below.
Gorillaz – Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez
In other Gorillaz news, the band recently announced “Song Machine Live”, a virtual streaming event via LiveNow taking place on December 12th-13th. Head to the band’s website for more information on “Song Machine Live”, as well as to order physical copies of Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez.